Could An Olive Oil Boom Be In California's Future?

We all know Central California produces most of the state’s petroleum, but could another oil boom be on the horizon? Well, that’s what journalist Nathanael Johnson from the online environmental news website Grist argues in a new article that came out last week – but he’s not talking about fracking or the Monterey Shale – he’s talking about olive oil.

Johnson argues that olive trees are more drought tolerant than crops like almonds. That combined with increased domestic demand for olive oil, and higher quality when compared with imports could make the Central Valley an even bigger player in the world of olive oil.

This week on Valley Edition with spoke with Johnson, as well as Robert Rocha of ENZO Olive Oil a local artisanal olive oil producer in Fresno and Madera counties.